Sunak apologises for ‘mistake’ of skipping D-day anniversary event for ITV interview

The prime minister is facing questions after ITV presenter said it was Mr Sunak’s team who suggested the date for the interview

Rishi Sunak has made a grovelling apology for leaving the D-Day commemorations early to take part in a TV interview.

After being widely criticised for cutting short his visit to France the prime minister admitted today he had blundered.

He said: “It was a mistake and I apologise.”

Mr Sunak is likely to win support from some for owning up to the misjudgment so promptly.

But his miscalculation in coming home while other world leaders stayed in Normandy to honour the sacrifice and courage of thousands of Alllied troops is bound to be seen as yet another major Conservative error in the election campaign.

Rishi Sunak left 80th anniversary D-day commemorations to record to a TV interview

It also echoes claims made by some that despite his undoubted skills in handling economic matters, the Prime Minister has a “tin ear” with regard to other key aspects of leadership.

In an extraordinary turn of events, Downing Street was also forced to deny that Mr Sunak had initially planned not to attend the commemorations at all and that the French government had been informed a week ago. No 10 said that was “not true” and that it had always been the plan he would go.

And veterans minister Johnny Mercer said the decision to leave the anniversary events early was a “significant mistake”.

Before his apology, the prime minister had been accused of a “dereliction of duty” after he gave a TV interview about the election while missing a major international ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

It emerged last night that the Prime Minister came home early to sit down with ITV on Thursday to defend claims he had made that Sir Keir Starmer planned to hike taxes by £2,000 per person.

The tax claim, first made in a TV debate with Sir Keir Starmer, was also seen as a political own goal after the Treasury chief mandarin disowned the figure.

Starmer and Shapps remained at the event (Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

It meant he left commemoration events in France before a gathering of the world leaders on Omaha Beach with King Charles and veterans.

The Independent first revealed that he had also skipped the event with King Charles, presidents Zelensky, Biden and Macron, and other world leaders to return to the UK to campaign in the election with his party still losing ground in the polls.

He had appeared in Normandy earlier in the day to pay tribute to veterans but returned to Britain before the ceremony was over, while his rival Sir Keir remained alongside Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, King Charles and the Prince of Wales.

For the UK government foreign secretary Lord Cameron and defence secretary Grant Shapps remained.

But Tory MPs were fuming last night at the prime minister’s miscalculation.

It later emerged that Mr Sunak had given a broadcast interview on the same day, a clip of which was shared by broadcaster Paul Brand.

Mr Brand told ITV News at Ten: “Today was the slot we were offered … we don’t know why.”

Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said: “The Prime Minister skipping off early from D-Day commemorations to record a television interview where he once again lied through his teeth is both an embarrassment and a total dereliction of duty.

“Our country deserves so much better than out-of-touch, desperate Rishi Sunak and his chaotic Tory Party.”

Tory commentator Tim Montgommerie, the founder of the Conservative Home website, described Mr Sunak’s decision as “political malpractice” and “indefensible” on BBC Newsnight.

Mr Sunak speaking with President Emmanuel Macron before leaving (PA Wire)

Tory minister David Johnston said: “The PM was at the service in Portsmouth on Wednesday and he was in Normandy yesterday. I don’t know exactly when he left.”

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Sunak said: “The 80th anniversary of D-Day has been a profound moment to honour the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our values, our freedom and our democracy.

“This anniversary should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The last thing I want is for the commemorations to be overshadowed by politics. I care deeply about veterans and have been honoured to represent the UK at a number of events in Portsmouth and France over the past two days and to meet those who fought so bravely.

“After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise.”

Political cut and thrust had largely been paused on Thursday morning as the 80th anniversary of D-Day took centre stage, and Mr Sunak appeared in his prime ministerial capacity at various commemoration events.

Tory sources had played down the diplomatic impact of the PM’s absence in Normandy later in the day, pointing out he will be meeting other G7 leaders next week at a summit in Italy.

Mr Sunak had used his interview with Mr Brand to reject Labour accusations that he “lied” by saying the party would hike taxes by £2,000 – claims which were later criticised by the UK statistics watchdog.

The Prime Minister said the Labour leader was “obviously very rattled” after he repeatedly deployed the attack line during a TV election debate earlier this week.

Mr Sunak had claimed that “independent Treasury officials” have costed Labour’s policies “and they amount to a £2,000 tax rise for everyone”.

Sir Keir Starmer also attended the events on Thursday (Getty Images)

But the Treasury’s permanent secretary James Bowler said ministers had been told not to suggest civil servants produced the figure.

In the interview, the Prime Minister said: “Keir Starmer and the Labour Party are obviously very rattled that we’ve exposed their plans to raise tax on people. And that’s what it, that’s what it demonstrates.”

Asked whether the numbers were instead based on assumptions drawn up by Tory advisers, Mr Sunak said: “No. The analysis and the working is done by Treasury officials.”

The row stems from a document produced by the Conservatives which made a series of assumptions to estimate the cost that might be attached to potential Labour policies.

It said that Labour’s plans had a £38.5 billion deficit over four years, the equivalent of £2,094 for every working household, which the Tories claim would be filled with tax hikes.

In a statement on Thursday, the UK statistics watchdog, which previously warned political parties to use figures appropriately during the campaign, suggested the Conservatives had failed to make clear their calculations.

The Office for Statistics Regulation said: “Without reading the full Conservative Party costing document, someone hearing the claim would have no way of knowing that this is an estimate summed together over four years.”

Campaigning for the General Election will kick off again in full on Friday, with the Prime Minister out in the south west promoting the latest Tory pledge to raise the high-income child benefit tax charge threshold to £120,000.

Meanwhile, Labour is promising that first-time buyers could use the state as a guarantor for their mortgages if it wins the July 4 vote.